Sign



Nov. 24, 1936.. J. W. NEWMAN SIGN Filed April 29, 1955 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 24, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEV SIGN John Windrush Newman, London, England f Application April 29, 1935, serial No. 18,816

14 claims. (o1. 1o-13s) This invention relates to a sign and has to do particularly with a sign which will serve its function as a sign with or without illumination and which takes on an illuminated appearanceJwhen associated with a separate or relatively remote source of light, and the light may be either articial or day light. More particularly, the sign is one useful for display or advertising purposes, inasmuch as it can be cheaply made, although obviously a signof this invention is not limited to such use.l The general objects of the invention are to provide an attractive eicient sign capable of being readily manufactured, to which end the sign may be regarded as of simple construction, one which may be used in a more or less temporary manner for displaying wares or merchandise, or which can be embodied in a re1- atively permanent sign structure, and yet one which has striking and attractive characteristics.

Generally, the sign comprises a base or back preferably of opaque material which is provided with slots or cut-out portions, in which slots or cut-out portions are elements forming letters or characters or the like made of a material which will transmit light. These elements extend through the base or back and project on opposite sides thereof. This light transmitting material may be transparent or translucent, and may be any one of a number of substances such as a cellulose ester product in the nature of a celluloid, a phenolic condensation product, or synthetic resin or similar products.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a sign constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail View showing a portion of the base or back.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view showing a strip or ribbon of material useful in making the sign.

Fig. 5 is a view showing material useful for the sign in the form of -sheet stock.

For the purpose of disclosing the invention herein the sign has been shown in perhaps one of its simplest forms. The base or vback I is of suitable proportions and may be made of any desired material, preferably opaque, and such material may be cardboard, pressed paper, Wood, metal or other suitable composition depending upon the particular desires of the manufacturer or user of the sign. This base or back is provided with slots or cut-out portions 2 substantially and preferably in the form of letters, characters or indicia to be displayed.

Strips cf the light transmitting material are disposed in these cut-out portions. Such a strip is shown at 3. The strip material may be either transparent or translucent and advantageously consists of a cellulose ester product, phenolic con- 5 densation product, synthetic resin, or even glass. This strip is provided with two adjacent rows of irregularities which may be in the form of corrugations 4 and 5 spaced apart to leave a sort of channel or way 6. This strip may be supplied in j() ribbon form of indefinite length. However, the light transmitting material may be supplied in the form of sheets, as illustrated at l, having the irregularities or corrugations formed therein, as shown, and the sheet may be split or severed sub- 15 stantially on lines as depicted by the dotted line 8 to form strips.

The strip material is cut to suitable size and fashion, and the portions are inserted in the slots 2 in the base and disposed sothat the base or body 20 lies between the irregularities or corrugations, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The sign is especially adaptable for use for light transmitting material of a flexible nature so that the same may be readily fashioned with curves or bent into the desired form. To this end a substance such as Celluloid or similar cellulose product is advantageous.

In use the sign, of course, is completely visible Without any particular application of illuminating light; however, the preferred use is that of l associating the same with a light source positioned to the rear of the sign, or in other Words on the opposite side of the sign from the observer. This may be done by the use of a source of artificial light such as one or more electric lamps, although the sign makes an excellent display when arranged so that there is an ample supply of daylight on the opposite side of the sign from the observer. The light striking the light transmitting material which projects from the rear of the base is transmitted through the material to the front of the signor on the observers side. This, in effect illuminates the visible portions of the strip so that the same appears illuminated. A fairly large sign may be illuminated with but a single electric lamp.

The corrugations or irregularities serve a plurality of functions, to-wit: They serve to hold the strip elements in place in the base, and in this fashion the elements of the sign are held assembled; they serve, also, to further the attractive and clear appearance of the sign. In this latter respect the light which is transmitted through the material seems to become difused or perhaps radiated by the irregularities to an extent somewhat greater than it is radiated by the relatively smooth surfaces. Accordingly, the characters are identified by a bright base next adjacent the back or body of the sign. Not only is the' base of the characters brightened, but the slight irregularities serve to increase the intensity of the characters, thus causing the characters to better and more markedly stand out so that they are readily discernible. Obviously, it is Within the invention to construct the sign wherein the irregular formation or corrugations appear only on the observers side, but the light transmitting material may not be held in position by the corrugations.

Signs thus constructed and embodying this invention may be made as elaborate as one sees t. The base may be of a desired artistic construction and framed, and may contain other decorations or art work forming a background or an association for the luminous strip characters; however, as mentioned above, only a simple structure is shown herein.

I claim:

l. A sign comprising, a back slotted in the form of characters and light transmitting striplike substances disposed in the slots and projecting on opposite sides of the back, said striplike substances having irregularities formed therein on opposite sides of the backl for holding the light transmitting substance in the back and for diffusing light at the base of the characters.

2. A sign comprising, a back provided with slots substantially in the form of characters and strip-like elements of light diiusing material disposed in the slots and fashioned in the form of characters, said Strip-like elements having two rows of irregularities positioned on opposite sides of the back for holding the elements in the slots and for diffusing light adjacent the base of the characters.

3. A sign comprising, a back slotted substantially in the form of characters and strip-like elements of light transmitting material disposed in the slots, and fashioned into the form of characters, said strip-like elements having irregularities on the observers side of the back and positioned adjacent the back for diifusing light substantially at the base of the characters.

4. A sign comprising, a back slotted substantially in the form of characters and strip-like elements of light transmitting material disposed in the slots and fashioned into the form of characters, said strip-like elements having corrugations therein adjacent the back and for diiusing light adjacent the base of the characters.

5. A sign comprising, a back slotted substantially in the form of characters, and elements of light transmitting material positioned in the slots and fashioned into the form of characters, said elements having each two rows of corrugations spaced apart With the back positioned between the rows of corrugations, said corrugations serving to hold the elements in the slots and serving to transmit and diffuse light adjacent the back and substantially at the base of the characters.

6. A sign comprising, a back slotted substantially in the form of characters, strips of light transmitting cellulose ester product positioned in the slots and fashioned into the form of characters, said strips projecting on opposite sides of the back, said strips having a row of irregularities positioned adjacent the back and substantially at the base of the characters for diffusing light.

the slots and fashioned into the form of 'characters, said strips projecting on opposite sides of the back, said strips having two spaced rows of irregularities with the back positioned between the rows, said irregularities serving to hold the strips in the slots and serving to diffuse light substantially at the base of the characters.

8. Material for use in a sign structure which embodies a. slotted back member, a strip of light transmitting material for disposition in the slots of the back member and having a row of irregularities running lengthwise thereof and positioned on the strip so as to be positioned on one side of the back member when the strip is positioned in said slots.

9. Material for use in signs which embody a slotted back member comprising, a strip of light transmitting material having two spaced rows of irregularites running the length thereof and positioned substantially in the center portion of the strip for disposition in the slots of the back member with one row on each side of the back member.

10. Material for use in signs which embody a slotted back member comprising, a strip of light transmitting' material having'two spaced rows of corrugations, the individual corrugations extending transversely of the strip and the rows running lengthwise of the strip and positioned substantially centrally as regards the width of the strip, said strip for disposition in the slots of the back member with one row of corrugations on each side of the back member.

11. Material for use in signs which embody a slotted back member described comprising, a relatively flexible strip of light transmitting cellulose ester product, said strip having two spaced rows of irregularities running lengthwise of the strip with the rows disposed approximately midway of the width of the strip, said strip adapted to be disposed in the slots of the back member, with the rows of irregularities on opposite sides of the back member.

12. Material for use in signs described comprising, a relatively flexible strip of light transmitting cellulose ester product, saidy strip having two spaced rows of corrugations with the rows running lengthwise `of the strip and disposed in the portion of the strip intermediate of the two lengthwise edges thereof and for disposition in the slotted back member with the rows of corrugations on opposite sides of the back member.

13.- A sign comprising, a back slotted substantially in the form of characters, and strip-like elements of light-transmitting cellulose ester material disposedin the slots and fashioned into the form of characters, said strip-like elements having lateral visible irregularities on their sides and on the observers side of the back for diffusing light whereby the appearance of the characters is intensified. 14. As a new article of manufacture for use in signs which embody a slotted back member, a relatively exible strip of light-transmitting cellulose ester product, said strip having a row of irregularities running lengthwise thereof, said strip to be disposed in the slots of the back member with the irregularities on the observers side thereof for diffusing light.

JoHN AwINDRUsH NEWMAN.

cmzrzcnm or connnci'r'on.

Patent NO- 2,061,805. November 24, 1936.

JOHN WINDRUSH NEWMAN.

It is hereby certified that error' appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, second column, line 38, claim 11, strike out the word "described"; and line 47, claim 12, for "described" read which embody a slotted back member; and that; the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record ofthe case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 12th day of January', A. D. 1937.

Henry Van Aredale (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

